Every time signal charges, which are generated in pixels “1”, “3”, “5”, . . . of one 1a of pixel rows 1a and 1b spaced from each other by a distance D, are transferred to a final stage 4a of an analog shift register 3a to be fed to a charge detecting part 5 in synchronism with a transfer clock &PHgr;1B, a reset pulse RS is generated to discharge the signal charges to a reset drain 8. Signal charges, which are generated in pixels “2”, “4”, “6”, . . . of the other pixel row 1b, are transferred to a final stage 4b of an analog shift register 3b, and then, stored in a capacity 6 of the charge detecting part 5 in synchronism with a transfer clock &PHgr;2B. Then, the quantity of the stored signal charges is read out, and the stored signal charges are outputted from an output circuit 9 as an output signal OS. Thus, all of the signal charges of the pixel row 1a are discarded, and only the signal charges of the pixel row 1b are outputted, so that the signal charges can be read out at a resolution of ½ without deteriorating images.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A solid state image sensor system comprising: n (n is an integer which is 2 or more) pixel rows, each of which has pixels arranged in a row, each of said pixels being irradiated with light to carry out a photoelectric transfer to generate a signal charge; n analog shift registers, each of which is provided for each of said pixel rows to sequentially transfer a signal charge, which is generated from a corresponding one of said pixel rows; a charge detecting part, which is provided commonly for all of said analog shift registers, and to which signal charges are alternately given from a final stage of each of said analog shift registers, for storing and detecting said signal charges; and a reset drain for discharging said signal charges stored in said charge detecting part, wherein a final stage of each of said analog shift registers and a rest of each of said analog shift registers are configured to be driven independently, and when said signal charges are read out at a resolution of 1/n, signal charges generated in one of said n pixel rows are detected by said charge detecting part, and signal charges generated in other n 1 pixel rows of said n pixel rows are discharged to said reset drain, in accordance with a transfer clock applied on the final stage.
2. A method for driving a solid state image sensor system comprising n (n is an integer which is 2 or more) pixel rows, each of said pixels being irradiated with light to carry out a photoelectric transfer to generate a signal charge; n analog shift registers, each of which is provided for each of said pixel rows to sequentially transfer a signal charge, which is generated from a corresponding one of said pixel rows; a charge detecting part, which is provided commonly for all of said analog shift registers, and to which signal charges are alternately given from a final stage of each of said analog shift registers, for storing and detecting said signal charges; and a reset drain for discharging said signal charges stored in said charge detecting part, the method comprising: driving the solid stage image sensor system to drive a final stage of each of said analog shift registers and a rest of each of said analog shift registers independently, and when said signal charges are read out at a resolution of 1/n, signal charges generated in one of said n pixel rows are detected by said charge detecting part, and signal charges generated in other n 1 pixel rows of said n pixel rows are discharged to said reset drain, in accordance with a transfer clock applied on the final stage.
3. A solid stage image sensor system comprising: n (n is an integer which is 2 or more) pixel rows, each of which has pixels arranged in a row, each of said pixels being irradiated with light to carry out a photoelectric transfer to generate a signal charge; n analog shift registers, each of which is provided for each of said pixel rows to sequentially transfer a signal charge, which is generated from a corresponding one of said pixel rows; a charge detecting part, which is provided commonly for all of said analog shift registers, and to which signal charges are alternately given from a final stage of each of said analog shift registers, for storing and detecting said signal charges; and a reset drain for discharging said signal charges stored in said charge detecting part, wherein a final stage of each of said analog shift registers and a rest of each of said analog shift registers are configured to be driven independently, and when said signal charges are read out at a resolution of 1/n*m (m is an integer which is 2 or more), signal charges which are generated from adjacent m pixels of one of said n pixel rows and signal charges which are generated in one of said n pixel rows and detected by said charge detecting part are added up to be read out, and signal charges generated in other n 1 pixel rows of said n pixel rows are discharged to said reset drain, in accordance with a transfer clock applied on the final stage.
4. A method for driving a solid state image sensor system comprising n (n is an integer which is 2 or more) pixel rows, each of said pixels being irradiated with light to carry out a photoelectric transfer to generate a signal charge, n analog shift registers, each of which is provided for each of said pixel rows to sequentially transfer a signal charge, which is generated from a corresponding one of said pixel rows, a charge detecting part, which is provided commonly for all of said analog shift registers, and to which signal charges are alternately given from a final stage of each of said analog shift registers, for storing and detecting said signal charges, and a reset drain for discharging said signal charges stored in said charge detecting part, the method comprising: driving the solid stage image sensor system to drive a final stage of each of said analog shift registers and a rest of each of said analog shift registers independently, and when said signal charges are read out at a resolution of 1/n*m (m is an integer which is 2 or more), signal charges which are generated from adjacent m pixels of one of said n pixel rows and signal charges which are generated in one of said n pixel rows and detected by said charge detecting part are added up to be read out, and signal charges generated in other n 1 pixel rows of said n pixel rows are discharged to said reset drain, in accordance with a transfer clock applied on the final stage.
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August 11, 2000
September 28, 2004
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